Olympics Champion Simone Biles Making A Comeback?

American four-time Olympics champion, and gymnastics star Simone Biles is all set to return to competitive gymnastics this August in the 2023 US Classics to be held in August. Biles took a break from the sport to deal with her mental health issues. 

26-year-old US gymnast, Simone Biles has not participated in any competition since Tokyo Olympics 2021 for her mental health issues and safety measures. She announced her break after her Tokyo campaign was curtailed. Biles announced that she was not retiring but taking a break to prioritise her mental health. 

Is Simone Biles Making A Comeback?

The US Classics is a warm-up event for the US National Championship. USA Gymnastics has announced that the four-time Olympics champion, Simone Biles, has registered for the event set to be held on 4-5 August. 

USA Gymnastics also warned in its announcement statement that registration does not guarantee participation in the event. But this event might mark the return of Biles in competitive gymnastics after her break from the sport.

The competition will be Biles's first since she withdrew from five out of six finals in the COVID-19 delayed Tokyo Olympics of 2021. Biles managed to win a women's team silver and a balance beam bronze after completing her vault but later withdrew herself from all-around competitions.

She later explained she was going through "twisties", a mental block in which gymnasts lose their orientation mid-air. 

Biles made her Olympic debut in the 2016 Rio Olympics where she won all four of her Olympic titles as well as a bronze medal with her electrifying performance. Biles has won 25 gold medals 19 of which are golds in her short career already and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 from US President Joe Biden.

Biles said that she was taking a break from the sport but not retiring commenting on her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics and her mental health issues.

Earlier the gymnast has also candidly spoken about abuse and harassment by the USA gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar who is serving a life sentence in jail for being guilty of sexually assaulting women and girls under his role as sports medicine doctor in the USA gymnastics team. 

There have been no announcements yet of Biles's participation in the Paris Olympics set to be held in about a year in 2024.